


Intertwined

by orphan_account



Category: The Creatures (Youtube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst, Jeamus - Freeform, M/M, Multi, POV Third Person Limited, Violence, koova, post jeamus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-05
Updated: 2016-02-18
Packaged: 2018-04-13 04:58:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4508679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How do you go on when you've literally felt a piece of your soul die? You vow to find the murderer, of course. There's just a bit of story between now and then.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue-I Still Blame You

The sun was hot, beating down on his skin and battered person. The sky was blue, not a cloud in sight which told James it would be raining the next day or day after. The information didn't matter to him, though; James was in the midst of death and the only thing he could do was look up at the sky, shield his eyes from the sun and the horror that hovered over him, ready to stop his beating heart.

The sky was a light blue, something akin to a certain pair of eyes that haunted James' dreams; a pair of eyes he'd known for nearly two decades--so bright and lively. James took solace in those eyes, of that face and that smile, as he closed his eyes to his fate and suddenly the world was spinning its intended speed, the claw of the looming Pyon Bear pulling back to strike him down.

"Oh no you _don't_!"

James heard the cry and then felt blood splatter over his face, shocking him enough to flinch, though the action had happened to him on more than a few occasions. James wiped his face with his extended hand, shook his head and blinked a few times. When he opened his eyes fully, James saw the body of the bear dead at his knees, a graceful yet sturdy hand pulling a sword from the corpse and flicking it to the side to dismiss some of the red liquid dripping from the blade.

James looked up at his savior, narrowed his eyes and shakily stood up, brushing the dust from his tattered robes. Of course _he'd_ come to James' rescue--of course. Well, James wanted nothing to do with him.

"Oh, c'mon. Not even a 'thank you'?" The man said, hurrying to sheath his sword and follow after James.

"You don't deserve it," James said hoarsely, using his sleeve to wipe more of the blood from his face with a sneer of disgust. "Go back to the academy, Jordan."

James heard a groan and nearly felt the pout on the brunet's face before Jordan retorted. "James, I graduated last year, remember? You were--" he defended, walking a few feet behind James. _You were there_ , he finished internally. "Let me sign with you. You need a partner."

James rolled his eyes, shook his head and waved Jordan away nonchalantly. "I don't need a partner. Especially one that just graduated," the dark haired man said as he continued to walk through the patchy forest, fighting off the dizzy spell that suddenly worked over him. Damn he should not have moved his head so much.

"Don't need a partner?" Jordan said almost incredulously. "I guess you didn't need to be saved from that Pyon Bear either--James!!"

Jordan had a smile on his face at James' persistent hardheaded ways until he watched the man fall on his knees into the grass and then his stomach, out like a light. Jordan hurried to his side, hands hovering and shaky, but he had to work fast.

Jordan scooped the broken man into his arms carefully and then began the haul home; James' head resting at the crook of his neck.

"...Seamus?"  

Jordan looked down as the name was whispered, expression surprised and then full of sorrow. He tried not to let the utterance get to him.

" _...Seamus?_ "

\-------**--------

"What is it, James?"

Said boy looked up from his study books to the blond seated on the balcony above him, laying with his head over the edge, a book held over him to read.

"You're gonna hurt yourself," James said in a small, matter-of-fact voice.

Seamus clicked his tongue, huffed a bit but laughed soon after, turning onto his stomach, book underneath his head now. "You're starting to sound like Master Daniel," he stated, rolling his eyes amusedly in James' direction.

James pouted, puffing his cheeks. "Yeah, well, you would have regretted it had you dropped the book on your face."

"Speaking from experience, Sir Clutz?" Seamus chuckled, grinning cheshirely.

"Hey!" James yelled, though he was grinning right along with the blond. "Don't make me come up there and teach you a lesson!"

"You teach me? That'd be a first," Seamus continued to goad, getting up on his knees as he and James made eye contact.

"That's it!" The younger of the two cried, swiftly flipping backwards off of his cushion, and got a running head start to jump and grab onto the ledge Seamus sat upon.

After gaining enough momentum, James flipped himself up onto the second story and tackled a fleeing Seamus before starting his attack of tickles and rough housing.

Joyous and bubbly laughter filled the room as the boys tumbled and played, teasing each other until they were wheezing and starting to sweat. The pair would have continued as well had the door to their tower study not opened abruptly and a loud clearing of a throat was heard.

"Boys. Am I going to have to reinstate a watch for you while you study or will you cease this childish behavior and get back to work?" A tall, short haired brunet said as he walked into the room, looking straight up at the two. "Need I remind you your evaluations are next month?"

"No, Master Daniel," the two said in unison with mock repentant, still trying to retain their giggles.

"Did I hear the crushing of childish dreams and laughter?" A new voice said, sticking their head inside of the room.

"Master Spencer!" The two boys said together once more, jumping up from where they sat to acrobat their way down to the door to give their elder brother a hug and smiles.

"Hi boys!" The blond knelt to hug both of his juniors, giving James a pat on the cheek while Seamus received a hand through his hair. "Is Master Dan being a butt again?"

Seamus shrugged, smiling, while their was a grunt behind him from said 'butt'. "He only wants us to do well on the Mastery Exam."

"Yeah," James agreed, grinning back at their teacher. "Master Daniel is cool when he's not a killjoy."

"James!" Dan yelled with wide eyes, hunching his shoulders, a grin playing at his lips. "You have to three before I start coming after you!"

"Oh, crap!" James said with a bit of trepidation, hurrying past Spencer to run down the hall of the Academy.

"Run, James!" He heard Seamus laugh behind him.

"James!"

....

" _James?!_ "

\-------**--------

"James, can you hear me?"

"He's not gonna die, is he?"

"Don't be silly, Jordan. He's just lost a bit too much blood, is all."

"Sly?" James' voice came out weak, ragged; he didn't like it.

"Hey baby boy," the Puerto Rican replied familiarly, brushing the bangs back from James' brow. "How you feeling?"

"Like shit," James groaned, flinching as he tried to move from the cot he lay on though Sly was quick to push a hand down on the warrior's shoulder to keep him still.

"None of that," Sly chastised, shaking his finger disapprovingly at James. "You need to keep still for at least two days to let the stitches set."

"Two days?!" James whined, throwing his head back on the pillow.

"Well, better than being digested and pooped out by a Pyon Bear," the bubbly man shook his head with an amused smile playing at his lips. "Really, Baba, a _Pyon Bear_?"

"Listen," James scowled, turning a glare to Jordan over his healer's shoulder. "You, are a pain in my ass."

Jordan's expression turned into a pout but his overall disposition didn't seem to change, making James click his tongue.

James turned his attention back to Sly after a few moments as the Puerto Rican tsked him. "That's no way to speak to your pupil."

"He's not _my_ pupil," James bristled and the room grew heavy, an air of sorrow and remorse building.

This time, Jordan's entire stance changed. He looked down and to the side, bit his lip and ran a hand over his arm. His expression was hurt and pained, and James immediately regretted saying the words though he didn't show it.

The room remained quiet for a minute or two, both James and Jordan looking away from each other while Sly looked between the two and finally narrowed his eyes at James.

 

"You helped train him, that makes him _your_ apprentice, too," he demanded, giving Jordan's arm a pat of support. "You need to grow up and stop giving this boy, this _man_ , a hard time because you feel like he killed Seamus."

The cat was out of the bag, and suddenly James was furious. Calling him a child? Jordan _did_ kill Seamus. James seethed, teeth gritted and began to sit up again, this time slapping Sly's hand away when the kitsune moved to stop him.

"Fine, James. Go reopen your wounds. Go sulk and fester in the past. God forbid you live in the present and protect and cherish what Seamus left behind," Sly ranted while James limped around his cottage; grabbing his pullover and wrapped his shawl around his shoulders.

James attached his swords to his hip as he listened to Sly's lecture, if you could call it such. He refrained from speaking again, but took one last glance at Jordan just in time to see the brunet look up at him with frightened eyes, as if he expected to never see James again.

Said man gritted his teeth once more, scowled toward the ground for even _letting_ Jordan control so much of his emotions; letting the expression and significance of his being manipulate him.

James tossed the thoughts from his mind as he opened the door to Sly's practice and slammed it shut as he left, walked away from nonsensical thoughts and irritants.

Inside the building, Sly brought Jordan into a hug, laid the man's head on his shoulder, and just held him. He waited not even a minute before he felt Jordan grab a hold of him and sob into the crook of his neck. The kitsune soothed Jordan; stroked fingers through his hair, and spoke calmly and reassuringly to him.


	2. Circles

The first time they met him, James was sure he’d just turned fifteen. He and Seamus had taken a mission that had them travel to the other side of the country; a little village--tiny, really--being plagued by trolls and mischievous imps. The imps stole food, gold--anything that shined or tasted good, really--whereas the trolls destroyed, set fire, and demolished buildings and houses alike. Honestly, not worth their time, if James had anything to say about it, but Seamus was chivalrous, and wherever Seamus went, James followed; that’s just how it was.

The entire cleansing, as they called it in their Guild, took just under twenty minutes, and that was because a few of the imps decided to try their damnedest to make James look like a complete fool. Seamus dared to say they succeeded before James combusted them.

The two Bond Mates then came to the village’s center to be thanked and rewarded by the leaders-- _his_ parents. The kid wasn’t shy; thrusting his hand out and giving his name promptly as if he’d rehearsed and rehearsed until it was embedded like code into his dna, though the boy had to have been only twelve years old. James had seen the way Seamus looked at the kid; like he was precious and Seamus wanted to protect him, which meant James wanted to destroy him.

Maybe not in the literal sense, but as close as he could get. Maybe hide some dead birds under his pillow.

 His name was-- _is_ \--Jordan. Jordan Mathewson. Back then, James should have realized meeting that kid, feeling the electricity by the shake of their hands, meant a great deal more than what he initially believed. Too bad he didn’t believe in Destiny.

 It was another year before they saw the kid again. Seamus had decided he’d had enough of long travels and would rather take missions closer to their home Guild, so he and James built a two bedroom cottage just inside of the forest, tucked away under the trees to shade them from the overbearing sun.

 James couldn’t remember exactly what they’d been doing--some type of lawn work or maybe training--out on their front lawn, when that same boy came hiking up their hill, waving his hand high in the air, all the while a giant face splitting grin shown at them. That meeting budded a feeling of dread in the pit of James’ stomach.

 Jordan said he’d come to train at the Guild to become warriors like James and Seamus were, having been inspired by their bravery and heroism. James thought that’d be the last of it; a fan expressing their utmost gratitude and then disappearing.

 Oh how he’d been wrong.

 Jordan kept coming around once a week, and after a while, he’d come bother them whenever he’d have a free day from the Guild. James insisted Master Daniel was starting to slack in his older age. Seamus smacked him upside the head for such treasonous speech, all smiles, of course.

 Eventually, a few months later, Jordan dropped the question James had been expecting ever since the second visit, honestly.

 He asked Seamus to take him on as an apprentice.

 James had a few guesses as to why he wasn’t selected as instructor, but then again, he knew Seamus was probably the better candidate in the long run. James had been good at grades and knew what he was talking about, of course, he was just not patient enough to teach it. And though he knew Seamus had a short span of patience, it was larger than James’, and James figured Seamus would give this kid his wallet if he’d ask for it.

 There was always a certain way Seamus held himself around Jordan. And it wasn’t romantic, or even sexual--thank the gods. It was familiar, as if Seamus had always known this boy, and knew just how well he’d do; how good he’d become. Why else would Seamus decide to take on an apprentice? Why put so much work into someone if they weren’t going to surpass you, or at least match your skill?

 If there was one credit James would give Jordan, it was that the kid was nothing short of amazing with a bow and arrow. After a few practice shots, Seamus blindfolded the kid, and yet he still got bullseyes on all the targets. Later that night, before the two Bond Mates retired for bed, Seamus confided in James that Jordan would be the best archer in the land one day.

 James didn’t doubt him in the slightest.

 This went on for the next few years. Seamus had taken it upon himself to sometimes slip away, or feign being needed somewhere else to force James to spend time with Jordan. And it wasn’t as if James didn’t like the kid, because he did--respected him quite a bit, too--but James never saw the reason as to why he should get familiar with him.

 It was obvious Jordan harbored some kind of undying worship to James’ abilities and practices, ( being one of the best mages in the world kind of gave you that opportunity ), but honestly, James didn’t really care to grow their relationship. He found it was fine the way it was.

 Nevertheless, despite what he thought, James ended up finding himself drawing closer to Jordan every day. James saw the way it made Seamus happy, the way it made his eyes content and smile calm. That expression, in turn, made James happy. Seamus was everything to him, and James would do anything the blond wished of him.

 So it was a few weeks later, almost exactly seven years after the kid showed up to their quaint cottage, that Jordan came by unannounced, having got some free time to work on a high case presentation. That was why he had stopped by, in fact. Jordan asked for one of the brightly coloured, magical, yellow tiger lilies James used for his recovery potions. James had unfortunately used his last one in a recent batch of mixes and had been meaning to go out and get more, but they only grew in the dark part of the forest and James didn’t like to go in there if he could help it, and he said as much.

 So, Seamus offered to go get Jordan one, instead.

 James should have guessed _right then_ that something was amiss. That bud of dread that had rooted itself in his stomach years ago grew into a dark and heinous flower, covering his entire body with a chill unlike anything he’d felt before.

 But Seamus was resilient, and adamant about getting the flower for Jordan; anything for his boy.

 “I won’t be but a half hour,” Seamus had said as he straddled his horse, holding the reigns steady as he situated himself on the leather.

 “At least let me go with you,” James replied, worry etched across his face, a hand petting the horse’s mane while his other palm landed on Seamus’ knee.

 Seamus looked down into his eyes, and James’ breath was nearly stolen from him completely. Seamus looked resigned, content and somber all at once. His smile was small, and James wondered if he’d imagined a tear, or if Seamus’ eyes were actually glistening.

 But just as easily as he’d seen it, it’d disappeared, and Seamus was all smiles and laughs, patting James on the shoulder before his hand came up to ruffle James’ hair lovingly, letting his fingers comb through the wavy strands of dark brown until they landed on the back of his head. “You’ll just slow me down, you worrywart. Besides, if Jordan starts going through the kitchen and finds the cherry pie, we won’t have any left for dessert tonight.”

 James, distracted by what Seamus had said about him, made him miss the way Seamus’ voice skipped slightly before he was able to say his last few words. “I’ll give you something to worry about,” he joked, shaking a fist at Seamus while grinning. “Fine. I’ll be pie guard. Hurry up and go so you can get back, then.”

 “Okay,” Seamus nodded, running his fingers through James’ hair one last time before he smiled. “I’ll see you later, James.”

 “I’ll be waiting,” James nodded.

 --------------------------*--------------------------

 It was about a half hour later--when Seamus said he’d be back, James realised--that James and Jordan were sitting down to a fire James had started to roast the fish he and Seamus had caught earlier that day.

 Something was nagging at him, though, punching him in the gut as if he should be aware of something going on in that very moment, and James was all but sick with it until the wind was knocked out of him, a sudden stab to his heart stopping him where he stood. He faintly heard Jordan scream his name--the sound dulled out by the lack of oxygen in his body--before he collapsed onto his knees in the grass.

 James held his head with one hand, his heart with the other as a shrill scream tore from his throat. His face scrunched in pain, knuckles white with the grip he had on his shirt. James hadn’t even realized he was crying until he slowly raised hateful eyes up at Jordan, still unable to get more than a few gulps of air into his lungs.

 Seamus. Seamus was gone.

 --------------------------*--------------------------

 The last thing James remembered of that day, was practically throwing himself onto his horse, bareback, to ride and ride until he reached the spot Seamus’ body lay, in a pool of his own blood, right next to the flower he’d set out to find.

 James jumped off the horse as if the sharp needle like pain in his legs was nothing, skidding to a halt on his knees next to Seamus before weakly pulling the still warm body into his arms. James held him close, rest his forehead on Seamus’, and let out his sorrow.

 He must have stayed that way for at least an hour, rocking Seamus back and forth in his arms, petting his hair and caressing his face. After a while, James sheathed Seamus’ sword and hoisted him up onto James’ horse before the darknet mounted himself, riding off toward the cliffside.

 He gave Seamus a proper burial; under his favorite tree; a bed of stones lining his grave as his sword set his tombstone. This was where James could be found now, three years later, eyes gazing at the grave though seemingly far off, remembering the event.

 He closed his eyes slowly, letting out a light breath of a sigh before he turned on his heel and started walking back toward his horse. Though he was caught up in his thoughts, James looked up when he felt another presence in the clearing, eyes lifting up in an eerily similar fashion as they had when he felt his soul die, to lock eyes with Jordan.

Somehow it always came back down to Jordan. James was a little more than angry when he realized he wasn’t surprised. Jordan wouldn’t leave him alone, and James was beginning to find that he didn’t want to be left again.


End file.
